British Championship Congress 2022

[Mick Norris]

Round 6 on 2022/08/18 at 1430
Bo. No. Name Rtg Pts. Result Pts. Name Rtg No.
1 8 IM Wadsworth Matthew J 2418 4 4½ GM Arkell Keith C 2409 10
2 4 IM Clarke Brandon G I 2474 4 4 GM Emms John M 2474 3
3 16 FM Grieve Harry 2390 4 4 GM Gormally Daniel W 2466 5
4 6 IM Kirk Ezra 2442 3½ 4 IM Pert Richard G 2411 9
5 21 IM Rudd Jack 2318 3½ 3½ GM Pert Nicholas 2537 1
6 12 IM Jackson James P 2406 3½ 3½ IM Eggleston David J 2331 19
7 23 FM Merriman John 2297 3½ 3½ FM Derakhshani Borna 2374 17

Justin has black against Ifan Rathbone-Jones

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Roger,

I only thought of 2.b4 because I recently found it in a Steve Giddings and Gerard Wellin book.
(sic, see link, if I do it on purpose I will stop doing it...now if I could only sort out my Bill Hartson affliction)
I have my own Kann Krusher.

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. h4 e6 5. Rh3 *

rn1qkbnr/pp3ppp/2p1p3/3pPb2/3P3P/7R/PPP2PP1/RNBQKBN1 b Qkq - 0 5

After Bxh3 my f1 Bishop is king dick of the light squares. All this is explained in my 'Opening Ideas for Optimistic Chess Players.'
To be honest it is the only opening idea in there. but the word 'opening' in any title attracts the goons like moths to a naked flame.
I've actually played this in serious tournament games. Never won with it, in fact lost every game but it's the idea of saccing the
exchange...sorry, in this case, winning the exchnage as early as move 5 I find attractive. (the goon and the moth to a the naked flame syndrome)

"Matthew rarely plays 1. e4 though"
I know, so all the more reason to play it. Good Luck to both.

[Graham Borrowdale]

Looking at the results so far, this could be the year when one of the younger generation makes a real breakthrough and wins. There are 3 such players on the top 3 boards (Wadsworth, Clarke, Grieve), all playing white against established GMs (Arkell, Emms, Gormally), and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in these games. My money is still on one of the experienced players to win the championship, but I think we are seeing these younger players competing on equal terms now (in the absence of the Olympiad players).

[Nick Ivell]

My feeling is that White is an exchange down for nothing (technically, it's the bad bishop that Black has got rid of).

[LawrenceCooper]

My feeling is that White is an exchange down for nothing (technically, it's the bad bishop that Black has got rid of).

Given a choice I think I'd prefer to trap the bishop with g4,f3,h5 etc than part with a rook.

[Geoff Chandler]

Hi Guys,

The minor pieces do more work in the opening and middle game than Rooks.
Rooks come into their own in the endgame and if you are in an ending then you have misplayed the middle game.
(page 94 'Opening Ideas for Optimistic Chess Players')

[Paul Cooksey]

The absolute worst case for Gormally today, who is going to see this published in every report: https://lichess.org/broadcast/chessable ... 6/p46K4Koy

[Mick Norris]

Justin won, Jack lost which puts Nick Pert up to 4.5 with John Merriman, David Eggleston, Ezra Kirk, John Emms, Brandon Clarke

Harry Grieve leading on 5/6

Matthew (4) and Keith (4.5) still playing what looks like a level ending but what do I know when Keith's playing

EDIT: draw, so Matthew on 4.5 and Keith on 5 and presumably white v Harry tomorrow

[IM Jack Rudd]

My scoregroup is quite interesting to analyse the pairings of. I seem to be the only bottom-half black-seeker to have not played both Davies and Willow, so a median-flip was needed.

[Joey Stewart]

The absolute worst case for Gormally today, who is going to see this published in every report: https://lichess.org/broadcast/chessable ... 6/p46K4Koy

If I lost to such a spectacular tactic I wouldn't be too embarrassed - that game is much more a showcase of great play by Harry grieve then incompetence by Danny gormally (there's likely 2700s who wouldn't have seen Rxg7!! coming)

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is Harry Grieve on course for an IM norm (and does he have any so far)? I see he has played all ENG players so far. I can't remember what the rules are around that. Is it at least one norm must involve a certain proportion of people registered with a different chess federation?

I see he has one norm from January 2022 (I had forgotten that result, but I remember it now):

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/congrat ... ry-grieve/

Actually, he might be on course for more than just an IM norm!

[Joey Stewart]

If he keeps producing tactics like today he will definitely be on course for more then just an IM norm - it seems like there are quite a lot of the younger chess generation in the UK who are currently sitting a master level lower then they deserve to be, partly because of Corona, but I also wonder if the opportunities for norms are scarcer (e.g. if Harry somehow got drawn against opponents who didn't qualify for a norm for the rest of the tournament would efforts be made to fiddle the draw to help him get one or would they just say computer says no and leave him without the chance of getting one?)

[LawrenceCooper]

Is Harry Grieve on course for an IM norm (and does he have any so far)? I see he has played all ENG players so far. I can't remember what the rules are around that. Is it at least one norm must involve a certain proportion of people registered with a different chess federation?

I see he has one norm from January 2022 (I had forgotten that result, but I remember it now):

https://www.englishchess.org.uk/congrat ... ry-grieve/

Actually, he might be on course for more than just an IM norm!

He has two norms, including one from the 4NCL 2021-22 season.

[Roger de Coverly]

would efforts be made to fiddle the draw to help him get one or would they just say computer says no and leave him without the chance of getting one?)

It's not so much computer says no as FIDE says no. Pairing methods that allow arbiters to bend rules in favour of Norm xhances for partcular players are now outlawed.

There''s a theory that it's becoming more difficult to acheve the rating requirements for titles. The deflationary effect of having improving juniors with out of date ratings is working its way up the system.

[Paul Cooksey]

I think deflation more complex. But generally, it is now very rare to see someone make the rating but be unable to make norms.

I do feel slightly guilty not crediting the winner in my initial comment, so in full below. I imagine this will definitely win the best game prize, since no major errors by the winner and both a flashy tactic and a flashy ending.

[Event "Chessable British Chess Championships: "] [Site "Riviera Centre, Torquay, Unit"] [Date "2022.08.18"] [Round "6.3"] [White "Grieve, Harry"] [Black "Gormally, Daniel W"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B63"] [WhiteElo "2390"] [BlackElo "2466"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2022.??.??"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Qd2 Be7 8. O-O-O O-O 9. h4 a6 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Rh3 d5 12. Rg3 Kh8 13. Be2 Rb8 14. Qe3 Ng8 15. exd5 exd5 16. h5 f6 17. Bf4 Bd6 18. Rxg7 Re8 19. Qg3 Bxf4+ 20. Qxf4 Qb6 21. h6 Qxb2+ 22. Kd2 Rb4 23. Bd3 1-0